Educational Materials, Job guides, Career articles » Careers » Ultrasonic Tester Technician: Job Description, Education, Training, Skills, Duties and Career Opportunities

Ultrasonic Tester Technician: Job Description, Education, Training, Skills, Duties and Career Opportunities

Submitted by: paula

Job Overview

An ultrasonic tester is a kind of a technician that operates an ultrasound transducer connected to a diagnostic machine that is passed over the object being tested. Most of the ultrasonic tester employees are male in gender. As of today, it is being dominated by a manpower with one to four years of experience in the job.
 

Education, Training and Knowledge Requirements

An acceptable degree of education for this kind of work includes an associate degree or a higher degree in non destructive testing or welding technology, or a successful completion of a training course which meets the requirements of the ASNT or the American Society of non Destructive Testing. 
Usually, to be accepted in this kind of job, the applicant should submit a resume with a 2 years of working experience in the field of ultrasonic testing.


Skills & Abilities

The skills needed are that of the analytical and practical or hands-on. Basically, a product or a part of a product made of metallic or a non metallic material is the subject of the task. It is being analyzed for defects through several ultrasonic methods. The skills needed are on how to operate testing devices and analyzing patterns in a cathode ray tube screen which suggest normalcy or defects in the product and/or its parts. Documentation and reporting of the results is a must after every test is done.

Duties

Being an ultrasonic tester is not a laidback role. The duties include conducting ultrasonic tests on fabricated metallic and non metallic  products and its parts, to be able to identify defects or the so called product discontinuities. He also reviews work orders, test procedure sheets and product specification criteria that is acceptable and sets test specifications. As to how the ultrasonic tester does it, he attaches a specific crystal probe transducer to an ultrasound test device that moves switch so as to actuate the device. Then he calibrates and make adjustments on the ultrasonic test equipment to a certain setting or required standard based on his knowledge on ultrasonic testing procedures. After that, a spray couplant will be applied acting as a liquid medium to the part to be tested and then moves that tranducer over that part. Patterns of discontinuity on the CRT or cathode ray tube screen can be detected through this. The patterns seen will then suggest defects on the part or the products being tested such as bonding defects, cracks, areas of porosity and unecessary inclusions. Lastly, he marks the area and report the test findings.

Earnings & Job Outlook

The average salary of an ultrasonic tester on an hourly basis is not bad. An ultrasonic texter can be given a rate of $15 to $25 per hour depending on the level of expertise and years of experience. In an annual basis, the salary can range from $41,000 to $59,000 per year.

Paula Hiz is a researcher and a human resource specialist who helps newly graduates, job applicants and post graduate professionals be aware of the opportunities and trainings for skills and practice upgrading.

Latest Articles about: Careers

1: College Mathematics Professors: Job Description, Education, Skills, Abilities, Duties, Earnings and Outlook
2: Mathematics Teacher: Job Description, Education, Skills, Abilities, Duties, Earnings and Outlook
3: Medical Assistant: Job Description, Education, Skills, Abilities, Duties, Earnings and Outlook
4: Mathematicians: Job Description, Education, Skills, Abilities, Duties, Earnings and Outlook
5: Medical Ethicist: Job Description, Education, Skills, Abilities, Duties, Earnings and Outlook
Word Count: 513 Date: Thu, 19 Aug 2010 Time: 8:37 AM


Previous - Barbers Job Description: Overview, Education & Training Requirements, Job Outlook and Salary | Next - Training and Development Specialists Job Description: Career, Education, Job Outlook and Salary Information